Episode Report Card Aaron: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Deft, where ith thy thting?
By Aaron | Season 1 | Episode 5 | Aired on 06.30.2001
Fade back up on what the closed captioning describes as "flatulating [sic] on TV." Claire and Mom are watching The Nutty Professor, and it's obviously the Eddie Murphy version, as the man has made an entire career out of "flatulating" at this point. "This is an entire movie about people expelling gas!" exclaims Ruth, before getting up to stop the movie. "I know you probably think I'm old and stupid," she tells her daughter, "but I love you just as much as I ever did, and I'm worried about you." Claire insists that she doesn't need everyone's help all the time, and that she's not in the "trenchcoat Mafia" or anything. Mom reminds her that she stole a foot, and Claire finally breaks down and confesses the whole sordid toe-sucking tale. She finishes by assuring her mother, "It wasn't premeditated. I'm not Jeffrey Dahmer. I don't get off on hacked-up body parts." You know, I've had that same conversation with my mom more times than I can count. Ruth's only response to all this is, "You're having sex?" Claire's stress level finally explodes, and she jumps to her feet, screaming, "I'm sorry, I can't have this conversation with you...I don’t think we're ever going to have one of those touchy-feely mother-daughter relationships like you see on TV and in the movies, because you know what? They don't exist." Then she stalks out of the room, passing the newly arrived Foreshadowing, who's just showed up with a few Viveca St. John videos for them to watch.
So what do you think? Bo Derek's Domicile, or Harvey's Rabbit Hole? Yeah, I know. They both suck. But either way, Nate has arrived for dinner at Brenda's parent's place, and he's brought the bottle of 1997 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir Brenda brought as a gift last week. After complimenting him on his taste in wine, they invite him into the kitchen for a drink. Bo is impressed to learn that Nate worked in a co-op, as she knows that Brenda likes to believe that she's "wildly counter-cultural. I think she's just jealous of the fact that [Harvey] and I actually were hippies. Briefly, of course." When he discovers that they have no beer, Nate asks for bourbon instead, and Bo gushes even more. "Manly, but not elitist. Just her type." Harvey, by the way, has the whole "I hate that you're touching my daughter" stare down pat. The big shock comes when Nate discovers that Brenda won't be joining them. Bo explains, "Well, she felt, and I really have to agree with her, that we'd have a much better chance of getting to know each other if she weren't here. She does tend to take center stage." Boy, does she ever. Nate just sits there, realizing the trap he's walked into, and Bo makes a point of topping off his glass of bourbon.